Histological study on the retrocerebral endocrine-aortal complex of the water-bug, Sphaerodema annulatum (Heteroptera: belostomatidae) with reference to secretory inclusions.

Unlike many heteropterans, the retrocerebral endocrine organs of the water-bug, Sphaerodema annulatum are not fused with each other or with the hypocerebral ganglion. The NCC I bypass the CC and also innervate the oesophageal dilator muscles, CA and post-allatal pericardial cells in addition to aorta. Terminall, this nerve dilates into an ampulla showing accumulation of NSM and, therefore, regarded as a transitory storage centre. Each CC is divisible into two histological halves; the anterior half being negative and the posterior half positive to AF. The CA are innervated by two NCAs one of which (the NCA I) ramifies to form a NSM containing nerve-net on the surface of the gland regarded as another transitory storage centre. Three qualitatively different secretory factors are recognised in the retrocerebral endocrine-aortal complex of this insect -- of which one, localised in the posterior half of the CC, is regarded as indigenous and the other two present in the CA, aorta and pericardial cell nerves as cerebral in origin. Of the latter, both the factors are transported to the CA while only one to the aorta and pericardial cell nerves.